Cyclone separators frequently find application in the removal of solid particulates from air streams, examples including the intake systems of commercial and construction vehicles as well as air compressor intakes and various manufacturing and chemical processes. The cyclone separators of interest typically include a swirl inducing vane structure in the intake portion of the body. The swirl inducing vane structure induces a swirl or spin to the air stream that causes the outwards migration of entrained dust and particulates towards a flow tube wall due to the action of centrifugal forces on the swirling particulates. The cleaned gas then flows out of the center portion of the separator into a clean air take-off tube while centrifugal forces in the swirling gas cause dust and particulates to be ejected outwards through an annular gap or window in the wall of the cyclone separator.
Multicell cyclone separators are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,884,273 discloses a multicell cyclone separator having groups of cyclonic cells arranged in parallel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,059 discloses a cyclone separator for removing particulates entering an engine air cleaner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,608 discloses a system for removing contaminant particles from a gas stream that includes a plurality of vortex air cleaners (cyclone separators) arranged side by side in two perpendicular rows.
US Publication 2008/0209869 A1 discloses a gas intake zone of a filter housing, which serves as a prefilter that includes a plurality of cyclone collectors arranged side by side. The cyclones are provided as a custom application specific unit.
As can be understood from the above, many varieties of cyclone precleaners are known to those skilled in the art. As can also be seen from the above prior art as well as the current state of the art, known precleaners utilize either individual cyclone cells or alternately a custom made cyclone block of cells in a custom housing, both being designed and adapted for a specific intended application. These individual cyclone cells are typically injection molded and subsequently pressed into steel or plastic plates. Typically these cells eject contaminants through an annular gap or radially outwards through a window or opening in the cyclone cell.